French Ligue 1
BARCELONA LEGAL TEAM, NEYMAR’S LAWYERS LOCK HORNS IN MULTI-MILLION CONTRACT SPAT
Lawyers for Brazilian footballer Neymar and Spanish champions Barcelona went head-to-head in court on Friday after failing to avert a multi-million-dollar battle over a tangled contract dispute.
The hearing opened in the early afternoon at a court in the Barcelona suburbs, but the star striker was not present.
He had arrived in the city on Thursday but returned to Paris a day later where he was seen training with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) during the afternoon.
Lawyers for the two sides had tried to reach an agreement during closed-door reconciliation talks in the morning, but without success.
“It is going to court,” Barcelona lawyer Josep Vives told journalists outside the court.
After several hours of wrangling in court, the two sides were told to present their conclusions in writing on October 21 after which the judge will issue his ruling at a date which has yet to be set.
The case revolves around a decision by Neymar, the world’s most expensive footballer, to quit Barcelona in 2017 and join PSG in a stunning coup for the French club.
The move angered the Spanish giants who filed a complaint for breach of contract against the 27-year-old superstar.
Neymar’s shock transfer to PSG for a world record 222 million euros ($250 million at the time) came less than a year after he signed a contract that would have kept him at the Spanish club until 2021.
As well as filing a lawsuit, Barcelona refused to pay him the remainder of his contract renewal bonus, which he was to have received in instalments.
The young Brazilian quickly hit back with a lawsuit demanding payment of the bonus in full.
– ‘The taxman watching’ –
Until now, the full value of the bonus has never been made public, but according to figures cited during the hearing, the gross sum was 64.4 million euros, of which Neymar received a first tranche of 20.75 million.
After his transfer, Barcelona refused to pay him the remaining 43.65 million, which after tax amounted to a sum of 26 million euros.
The Spanish club demanded he return the part of the bonus already received as well as 8.5 million euros plus interest in compensation for breach of contract.
Neymar promptly countersued, demanding payment of the 26 million euros with interest.
Addressing the court, Barca lawyer Carles McCragh said the money was “a loyalty bonus” linked to the length of the contract but the club had made an early payment at the request of Neymar’s family “who were having financial problems in Brazil”.
Neymar’s legal team challenged that narrative, with German Martinez saying the initial payment was linked to “the signing of the contract” and completely unrelated to “remuneration for services rendered” on the pitch.
According to El Mundo daily, the case is being closely watched by the Spanish authorities who are keen to know whether Neymar, who was a tax resident in 2017, paid his taxes on both the bonus and his transfer to PSG.
The striker has been beset by legal problems since his arrival at Barcelona in 2013 from Brazil’s Santos.
Barca valued the transfer at 57.1 million euros but Spanish prosecutors believe the amount paid was at least 83.3 million euros, trigging a string of legal cases in both countries, some of which remain unresolved.
Since transferring to PSG, things have not been any easier.
In the last few months, the superstar who has a huge social media following, found himself facing a rape allegation, which was dropped in August, and an assault charge for hitting a fan after PSG’s shock defeat in April’s French Cup final.
-AFP
After Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi signed a contract extension with French Ligue 1 side, Paris Saint-Germain, he became the World’s most-paid fullback.
The Moroccan international will earn a staggering €70 million in wages over his new five-year deal, cementing his status as football’s highest-paid defender.
He signed a contract extension with the French champions until 2029. The new deal adds three years to his previous contract, which was set to expire in 2026.
His net salary is increasing from €10 million to €14 million per season (€28 million gross).
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The 2024 Ballon d’Or nominee and Super Eagles winger, Ademola Lookman, is almost certain to leave the Serie A in the coming winter transfer window following interest from Premiership but the biggest interest is from Paris Saint Germaine.
The AFCON 2024 silver medal winner with Nigeria has been on the radar of the London side, West Ham United and three other sides from the league but all is more certain that the London club will find it difficult to compete for the signature of Atalanta star according to Football Insider.
Reports have suggested that the Irons are ready to swoop for the Nigeria international in the January transfer window.
However, sources say there will be “huge interest” from Europe in the 27-year-old ex-Everton star.
Paris Saint-Germain will be the frontrunner for the forward if he becomes available in the coming months.
Additionally, Lookman plays in the same area of the pitch as West Ham’s big-money summer signings Crysencio Summerville and Luis Guilherme.
The London-born has raised his stock with his displays for Atalanta since joining from RB Leipzig in 2022.
He finished 14th in the Ballon d’Or rankings this year after leading the Italian side to a Europa League title last term.
Lookman has already hit five goals and contributed five assists in 10 games across all competitions this term.
The forward, who is under contract until June 2026, hit 17 goals and notched 10 assists in 45 appearances last season.
West Ham are unlikely to have serious funds to spend in the January window after their lavish spending in the off-season.
Julen Lopetegui’s side started slowly and sat 13th in the Premier League after nine games.
Paris St Germain will take their wage dispute with Kylian Mbappe to court after the French football league’s governing body (LFP) ruled in favour of the France captain on Friday.
French media reported the 25-year-old, who has not commented on the dispute, is seeking around 55 million euros ($59.52 million) in salary and bonuses he says he is owed by the club.
The Ligue 1 champions, however, say Mbappe’s contract was “legally amended” and that he reneged on commitments when he left the club to join Spanish giants Real Madrid in the close season.
PSG said last month that Mbappe had refused an offer from the LFP to mediate on the issue.
The LFP’s National Joint Appeals Commission heard the parties on Oct. 15 and announced on Friday it had ruled in favour of Mbappe.
“The club must pay him the salary he is claiming. This decision is not subject to appeal, but may be referred to the FFF (French Football Federation) Executive Committee,” the LFP told Reuters.
However, PSG said they would be “forced to bring the case before the competent courts” while still trying to find an “amicable solution” with Mbappe, who became the French club’s all-time top scorer during his seven-year stay in the capital.
“What is in debate, and will ultimately be heard before an appropriate tribunal, is that the original contract was legally amended in August 2023 relating to the 2024-25 season, and also fully recognised by the player including in January 2024 – until the player then decided to renege all his commitments upon leaving the club,” a PSG spokesperson said.
“As a matter of law and fact, the player has made clear, repeated public and private commitments that the club simply asks are honoured, with the player being afforded unprecedented benefits by the club over seven years in Paris.
“The club hopes these basic commitments will simply be respected, knowing that the club will be forced to have the player’s bad faith judged by the competent courts if the player regrettably seeks to pursue this incomprehensibly damaging dispute, for himself and for French football, further.”
Mbappe’s representatives were not immediately available for comment.
In January, Mbappe had said he made an agreement with PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi which would “protect all parties and preserve the club’s serenity for the challenges ahead”.
-Reuters
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